Flaming meteorites crashed to the earth Feb. 15 after a 10-ton meteor exploded in the sky, injuring hundreds and reportedly prompting fears of an alien invasion.

In scenes reminiscent of a Hollywood blockbuster, a series of explosions rocked the skies above the Ural Mountains and sparked panic in three major Russian cities, Chelyabinsk, Yekaterinburg and Tyumen’. The health chief in Chelyabinsk told the Associated Press that 985 people sought medical attention after meteorites slammed into a region of Central Russia, and 43 were reportedly hospitalized with minor injuries.

Witnesses described how buildings shook, glass shattered and cell phones and Internet connections stopped working in the early-morning incident. Amateur footage was also posted of an object causing windows to break before crashing into a wall at a zinc factory. All injuries were thought to be mainly due to broken glass, and initial radiation levels were reported as normal. Testing will continue throughout the day, though, officials said.

The Russian Academy of Sciences estimates the meteor weighed roughly 10 tons. In a statement, the academy said the meteor entered Earth’s atmosphere at a speed of at least 33,000 m.p.h. (54,000 km/h) and shattered about 18 to 32 miles (30–50 km) above ground. The Chelyabinsk region is located 930 miles (1,500 km) east of Moscow; it is a populous region known for its mineral deposits and heavy industry.

Russia Today published unconfirmed reports that the meteor was blown to pieces by a missile salvo from an air-defense unit at the Urzhumka settlement near Chelyabinsk while at an altitude of 20 km. The channel also said some onlookers thought a UFO was responsible for the spectacle, but both reports were widely thought to be false.

Russia’s Emergency Ministry reported that 20,000 rescue workers were operating in the area to help alleviate any impact from the incident, and three aircraft were surveying the area to prioritize efforts. “According to preliminary data, the flashes seen over the Urals were caused by [a] meteorite shower,” the Emergency Ministry told Itar-Tass news agency.

Chelyabinsk regional authority published a message on its website that urged residents to pick up their children from school and remain at home.

It will really know the truth. That object really fell. Or was part of that station much-feared that becomes detached and fall causing damage. There is case law? Or is it better to blame a foreign body as a meteor, asteroid, etc. To avoid a flurry of lawsuits that nobody should be ... until the injured? While the story has just begun. The big question what will be the next chapter of this fiction that manifests in a more forceful and dangerous of human hands and its consequences ...? Raymond Murdock- Journalista Independent

Where is the caring and compassion towards the victims??? Bible quotes threatening more doom and gloom aren't going to give comfort to victims...what a warped way of promoting your beliefs,,I would warm far more to words of comfort and hope!!

The Bible in Revelations warns us of a huge Asteroid that will hit earth during the Great Tribulation period that is coming........Turn from sin and Trust in Jesus today...........He will come into your heart if you sincerely ask Him, by giving you the Holy Spirit and Eternal Life..

............Revelation8: 8-11........8 The second angel blew his trumpet. Then something that looked like a big mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea. And a third of the sea became blood. 9 And a third of the created beings in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. 10 Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter..............................

........25 “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; 26 men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken...........

@PlumbLine@mtngoatjoe Pure comedy lol PlumbLine you crack me up every time I read your posts. Please keep posting these fabeled excerpts because, every now and then, I need some comic relief from work.

@Chelovek I don't think the Western media is reporting that there was any warning. Based on early reports, obviously, there was none. It sounds like a terrifying experience. It's sad you don't trust your own official agencies. But we tend to not believe ours, either. We may speak different languages, but we have more in common than we have differences.

If this were an actual emergency I hope that we can all learn how to react from our comrade who posted the top video: haul ass around town at dangerous levels of speed blasting techno and holding a cell phone camera with your other hand.

Uh, Time, you know we just had an asteroid half the size of a football field get close enough to us that it actually flew under our satellites. Good journalism would have included mentioning this - and reporting if there's any possibility that asteroid is related to this one. It all seems a bit coincidental to me.

@Rachel421 Other outlets are saying they're unrelated, but I'd be interested in seeing trajectory information. It could have been coincidental, but at the same time, maybe the papa that missed had a companion no one saw. It was pretty small and may have been missed if people were focusing on the bigger one.